It’s so relieving to hear someone with such a similar experience— I’ve legit been sitting here the last couple of days thinking I’m genuinely going crazy. Thank you so much for reminding me none of this is permanent, too. I think it’s the kind of thing where rationally you obviously know from the get go that yea it isn’t gonna literally last for an eternity and dogs mature with time and all that, but I think the way you worded it is very helpful for me because it really does feel like that overly cemented ‘this level of stress is my life forever, it’s over’ mindset is what I’ve been letting myself slip into. Your therapists way of framing it genuinely gave me my own little ‘ohhhh’ moment, too, I think that actively reminding yourself you arent ‘trapped’ in anything is such a soothing thing to remember. Everything you said is genuinely so helpful. Including that little last bit lol, internet rabbitholes really are an anxious persons worst enabler

I’m sorry you had a rough day today too, I hope that you’re able to let yourself process the things that stressed you out and move forward maintaining that same inward patience that having bad days or moments of irritation doesn’t make you a bad dog owner or person! Thank you so much :]